A BIBLICAL LOOK AT ROCK MUSIC
SERMON NOTES
READ: GENESIS 4:16-26 TEXT: v21-24
And
his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle
the harp and organ… And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and
Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for
I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain
shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
There is a saying in the world, even among people with no scripture
knowledge/interest: History often repeats itself.
But another way of
wording what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9 No new thing under the
sun.
Every generation feel they are plumbing new depths/depravity.
"Would be unheard of 50 years ago" and so we effectively deny what we
have been saying about nothing new.
But the old Book is right. The
music scene with its violent/sex orientated lyrics is as old/hills.
Important law in Bible interpretation: First mention.
In any
subject…get a concordance/look up 1st mention.
It will flavour
every other mention and set you on right path of interpretation.
Our
passage goes back into earliest/times.
This man Lamech is the 7th from
Adam on Cain's side/family (v17-18) so the human race is just a few
generations old.
Made remarkable advances in some ways.
Hint of a
thriving farming economy (v20) invention of music (v21) - suggesting
cultural development - and industrial advancement also (v22)
Our interest lies in the music side.
Here is the
first mention of any musical instrument and it is believed that in
these words/Lamech, we have the words of the first recorded song. Bible
doesn't say that he sang these words - but some commentators believe
they were spoken in order to be sung.
JFB acknowledge its poetical
style.
Look at the words: Lamech is sending out a message.
Addressed to
his wives, (a thought we will return to) he is really warning off any
who thought to do him harm.
One/best ways to communicate a message is
to put it into song. Ask the advertising companies. Get a good jingle;
marry it to a good tune and you have planted it into the hearts of all
who hear.
Example: A million housewives every day pick up a tin/beans
and say…beans means Heinz!
We will return to Lamech's song in a
moment or two.
As we consider the music scene/today
- a day when we all have access to modern means/communication (not just
word/mouth as in Lamech's day): television/radio/CD players/ Internet
etc., - we need to ask ourselves:
What influence am I coming under?
How
does what I hear - particularly what I assent/listen to - have upon me?
What philosophy/world view am I being exposed to?
What patterns are
being woven into my mind to (at least) influence the way I think?
The
way I think will reflect the way I act.
The way I act is either
acceptable to God or not and if not must/will be judged by Him
accordingly.
I'm not scare-mongering…but simply applying the
clear statements of word/God. 4 main thoughts:
1) MUSIC IS A GIFT FROM GOD TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL:
A/ Short point…but fundamental.
God is not a kill joy. He desires happiness/all His creatures.
Will/God that you should be in place whereby you can laugh/have fun.
Not a shallow laughter: Proverbs 14:13
Not a fun that is at great expense/soul. Not worth it.
Fun that is pure then peaceable.
Fun that does not violate the Commandments/God. Sarah experienced it: Genesis 21:6 The Lord hath made me to laugh…
B/ First acknowledged song/Bible is in Exodus 15:1 where Moses taught/people: Lord is my salvation and is become my song.
True joy flows from God's salvation from sin.
We need to be saved…can be saved…can have such assurance/salvation…our hearts burst forth into song.
Anything less than a real saving experience of Christ cannot lead to pure/lasting joy.
C/ Another hermeneutic principle: Law/last mention of song/music:
Takes us to Heaven itself: Revelation15:3 Such joy in Heaven.
2) EVERY GIFT GOD GIVES IS PERVERTED BY SATAN:
A/ Genesis a good book to consider this.
Ch 3 is a fundamental chapter
not only to Bible but to world history.
It answers all those
"Why…?" questions of philosophers/deep thinkers etc.,
Man fell
in Eden and sin/Satan entered into the world: Romans 5:12
World now: 1
John 5:19
Failure to grasp this leaves us seriously deficient in
wondering what has got into young people today?
Why the love of
filth/violence and all the nasty things of rock music?
Ans:- Romans
5:12/Jeremiah 17:9
Any reports by Universities/Doctors/Music Industry etc., that ignores
this: Bin it!
Might give useful data etc.,…but they haven't even
begun to tackle the matter. Problem:- Spiritual.
B/ In the Bible, God used music for to help people. Music, rightly used, has useful properties.
[i] It can soothe the troubled mind: 1 Samuel 16:16-17 and it was so: 1
Sam 16:23
Ever find it so? That's why in dentist waiting rooms etc.,
… nice soothing classical music: relax. Same idea.
[ii] God used music to instruct people:
Already mentioned Exodus 15 but
whole Psalms. Full of instruction.
Today…we propagate Bible
through Hymns. Advantage: Easily learned/recalled.
[iii] God uses music to arouse people to courage:
Greatest example:
Matthew 26:30
Likewise, Christians often find refuge in good solid
hymns that enable them to stand fast.
C/ But Satan has turned that which was given for good…to advance
causes/wickedness.
Satan is the master/counterfeit: 2 Corinthians11:14
Works sometimes subtly/gradually.
Nothing too outrageous to start with
where such would be quickly repulsed.
Music can open/door to the heart.
Watch film and the music is setting/scene.
Working away in the
background…preparing you for what is to come.
So
subtle…so effective.
Not wrong in itself…but what if evil
agenda?
Often that which has harmless lyrics/catchy tunes is often just
the thin wedge/door. Just/start.
3) THE MODERN POP AND ROCK/ROLL MUSIC IS NOT HARMLESS BUT EVIL IN EXTREME:
A/ There are two things usually explicit in the devil's songs:
Sex/violence.
Currently an outcry about the lyrics of a rock star
called Eminem.
His videos/CD's actually carry warnings in the Virgin
Store…where Richard Branson has a most liberal agenda.
They
contain lyrics that speak of the sexual degradation and violent
rape/incest of women.
This didn't happen overnight.
The fruit of many
years of watering down decent standards.
For years…many pop
songs carried lyrics with double meanings.
Harmless words in themselves
carried other meanings and only the absolute naive would miss.
Sometimes little outcries…but it was never enough to halt the
onward march.
Soon the façade gave way…words became
unblushingly crude and the message conveyed became blunt and sinful.
B/ Let's go back to Lamech's little song (text) Notice:
[i] Extreme sexual laxity. He dedicates his song to his two wives.
Their names are significant: Adah means beautiful while Zillah means
shade and one of the commentators renders it as seductress.
A man who
liked his women.
God's Book said (2:24-25) one man for one woman.
Too
restrictive to Lamech.
Breaks bounds/decency and not only takes two
wives at once…specifically writes the fact into his song.
Every
time this song was sung…thought implanted that it was fine to
break God's law.
Here is one who did it and did it without shame.
If
Lamech can do it (possibly a cult hero)…why not me?
You listen
to lyrics of pop songs etc., and you start picking up the message which
the rock culture wants you to get.
It is anything but decent.
Even if
but innuendo…part of the package that belongs to Eminem. Same
stable. Same Satanic hand.
[ii] Violent content.
What Lamech has done is to send a wee word round
the liquor joints:
Don't mess with me if you value life. When I
fight…I fight to kill. You go home in a hearse…not an
ambulance.
It's all there in those few lines (v23-24)
You sing this
song over and over again…it will inflame anger and lead to
murder.
The human heart is more wicked than we can ever think: Jeremiah
17:9 It is a tinderbox…time bomb waiting to explode.
Classic
case: 2 Kings 8:11-15
When world says: "There but for the grace/God go
I" even the world acknowledges that it is nothing in us that keeps us
out/prison etc., Recognises our capacity to do something really
violent/criminal.
Any one answer me: What happens if you listen to and
then sing songs (note the progression) that boast of violence etc.?
You
will at the very least justify violence. Indifferent to it…may
be: engage in it.
You become what you watch/hear/say.
Worth noting that
Lamech goes further than Cain and Cain went too far (v16)
Always
snowballs. Today it is the Westlife type songs… What is
tomorrow? So insidious.
C/ Rock music itself (without considering the words) is most ungodly.
Music is not neutral.
Thought about the music that soothes…no
words are necessary.
Any music (no matter what the type) with an
excessive beat that is deliberately out of any order is sending out a
message of disorder.
Music is always a handmaid.
Should never become
dominant.
Rock/roll style is not of God.
4) WHAT OUGHT OUR RESPONSE TO THIS BE?
A/ Mere morality provides no answer.
Legislation may drive the likes of
Eminem underground but that's all.
Still be available on Internet/under
counter etc.,
Let me go a little further: Satan is happy enough with
mere morality.
Cannot save even with a pious twist to it. Need
something more.
B/ Only answer to the evil world that produces/sanctions rock/roll is
saving faith in Jesus Christ.
What happens when someone becomes a
Christian (NT sense)
Answer lies in Galatians 5:16 ff.
Go through this
passage quickly and you can see the sins/flesh (which are
deliberately/blatantly glorified in rock/roll) are vehemently opposed
by the Spirit/God within the Christian. Did you ever hear a rock song
that glorified in NT sense/word: love…joy…
peace …meekness…temperance?
Wouldn't sell.
None in
Lamech's song.
Can never be…flesh fights Spirit of God within
Christian and the Spirit of God resists the flesh.
C/ Bible tells us how we are to sing/songs and so benefit from all that
such singing etc., has for us: Colossians 3:15-16.
Need to put these
things: Ephesians 4:31/Ephesians 5:11 and embrace the truth of God able
to save.
THE END
See also: Christian Rock - Why God rejects it
Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland